Wednesday, March 19, 2014

TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. (1985)

I just ended up watching one of
the grittiest thrillers of 80’s Hollywood mould with ample amount of action, twists
and chase thrills to get you roll. Based on US secret service agent Gerald Petievich's novel, the film begins with an old and soon to retire American secret service
agent's secret operation to nab the
mastermind criminal counterfeiter who brutally shot him dead brutally and now his alive partner is turning the city
upside down to legally nab that criminal known as Masters. What he didn’t know is the game, more lethal
and dicey. William Friedkin, who gave us brilliant ‘The French Connection’,
came back with another first rate, stylistic edge of your seat thriller is
full of authentic action, on your face violence, perfect pace, fine
performances and real moments of thrill and
showdown.

William Peterson and Willem Dafoe
played here the man on opposite sides and both of them done their job with fine
control over their screen presence. It’s not exaggeration if I call Dafoe is
Hollywood’s Kinski, especially after watching him here where he appears ditto
to Kinski in look and his instinctive character playing. Where many well made
thrillers falls flat and predictable in second half and cimax, this film works
as real opposite. The highlight of the film is two brilliantly executed-shot sequences.
The first one is whole printing process sequence of counterfeit US dollar. Friedkin
achieved almost authentic feat here by involving a prisoner and the currency
was so damn original that Friedkin and producer has to bear legal trouble from
Treasury Department. The second one is one of the most chaotic and brilliantly
executed car chase sequence I’ve ever seen in Hollywood film. Yes, for me it
even outdid Friedkin’s earlier fantastic chase sequence of ‘The French Connection’.
The sequence is eight minutes long with mind-blowing tactics of ground, superb
camera angles, locations that ran from blind alley, under the bridge, over the
bridge, riverbed basin, wrong side freeway with full traffic and above all
railway tracks where the chase over cross even the running train! As per the available
information that sequence took six weeks to shoot to make it real and
authentic. Roby Muller’s camerawork surely deserves ovation!

About Me

Born in 1977 and professionally lecturer,I love to explore life in all its intricacies around me. Reading-imagining-thinking, watching/analysing films, listening music are more than passion- obsession and compulsion for me to survive like air, water and food. Only like minded ones can understand some of my lunatic passion while reading this blog.I also love to meet people, hanging out different places, observe people while trying to adjust the struggling identities of being animal and human.